Infighting in the ruling Trinamool Congress came to the fore Tuesday when a faction of party workers led protests alleging that TMCs Birbhum vice-president Ashok Ghosh was killed at the behest of another senior party leader.

Supporters of Ashok Ghosh,who was shot by two motorcycle-borne assailants on Monday,raised slogans and held demonstrations as TMC general secretary Partha Chatterjee visited Khairashol in Birbhum to meet the family members of the deceased. He was accompanied by partys district committee president Anubrata Mondal,who,the protesters,alleged had hatched a conspiracy to kill Ashok Ghosh. The protest was led by Biswajit Ghosh,son of the slain leader.

My father was killed by Anubrata Mondals men. He conspired against my father and hatched the plot to kill him. All these TMC leaders (Mondal and his men) are involved in illegal coal mining in the area against which my father had raised his voice. A few days ago,he had told me that he could be murdered any time, Biswaijit said.

His father,a school employee,was chased and shot at close range by the gunmen. While no complaint has been registered with the police,Chaterjee said the party will inquire into the incident.

We will probe whether this is a result of infighting or if he was killed by miscreants, Chaterjee said as he was whisked away by security guards when protesters surrounded him during his visit to Suri Hospital to offer last respects to the slain leader.

The irate mob then attacked Mondals vehicle. Mondal is already an accused in the murder of Sagar Ghosh,father of Hridya Ghosh,an Independent candidate from Parui in the recently concluded panchayat elections. Hridya,too,had lodged a complaint against Mondal.

Even though a compliant has been lodged against Mondal based on a State Election Commission directive,he is yet to be taken into custody or even interrogated.

Meanwhile,Suri MLA Swapan Ghosh said the family members of the victim will lodge a complaint with the police on Wednesday. Police have already initiated a case and arrested five people. But after completing the last rites,the son of the deceased leader would also lodge a complaint. This is a result of infighting,as the area is full of coal and land mafias, he added.